The most widely adopted method for diagnosing respiratory infectious diseases is to conduct polymerase chain reaction(PCR)assays on patients’respiratory specimens,which are collected through either nasal or oropharyn...The most widely adopted method for diagnosing respiratory infectious diseases is to conduct polymerase chain reaction(PCR)assays on patients’respiratory specimens,which are collected through either nasal or oropharyngeal swabs.The manual swab sampling process poses a high risk to the examiner and may cause false-negative results owing to improper sampling.In this paper,we propose a pneumatically actuated soft end-effector specifically designed to achieve all of the tasks involved in swab sampling.The soft end-effector utilizes circumferential instability to ensure grasping stability,and exhibits several key properties,including high load-to-weight ratio,error tolerance,and variable swab-tip stiffness,leading to successful automatic robotic oropharyngeal swab sampling,from loosening and tightening the transport medium tube cap,holding the swab,and conducting sampling,to snapping off the swab tail and sterilizing itself.Using an industrial collaborative robotic arm,we integrated the soft end-effector,force sensor,camera,lights,and remote-control stick,and developed a robotic oropharyngeal swab sampling system.Using this swab sampling system,we conducted oropharyngeal swab-sampling tests on 20 volunteers.Our Digital PCR assay results(RNase P RNA gene absolute copy numbers for the samples)revealed that our system successfully collected sufficient numbers of cells from the pharyngeal wall for respiratory disease diagnosis.In summary,we have developed a pharyngeal swab-sampling system based on an“enveloping”soft actuator,studied the sampling process,and imple-mented whole-process robotic oropharyngeal swab-sampling.展开更多
Liquidambar formosana Hance is an attractive landscape tree species because its leaves gradually change from green to red,purple or orange in autumn.In this study,the red variety of L.formosana was used to establish a...Liquidambar formosana Hance is an attractive landscape tree species because its leaves gradually change from green to red,purple or orange in autumn.In this study,the red variety of L.formosana was used to establish a quantitative model of leaf color.Physiological changes in leaf color,pigment levels,enzyme activity,photosynthetic fluorescence characteristics and chloroplast ultrastructure were monitored.The relationship between leaf color and physiological structure indices was quantitatively analyzed to systematically explore the mechanisms behind leaf color.Our data showed that with a decrease in external temperatures,chloroplast numbers and sizes gradually decreased,thylakoid membranes became distorted,and chlorophyll synthesis was blocked and gradually decreased.As a result,chloroplast membranes could not be biosynthesized normally;net photosynthesis,maximum and actual photochemical efficiency,and rate of electron transfer decreased rapidly.Excess light energy caused leaf photoinhibition.With intensification of photoinhibition,leaves protected themselves using two mechanisms.In the first,anthocyanin synthesis was promoted by increasing chalcone isomerase and flavonoid glycosyltransferase activities and soluble sugar content so as to increase anthocyanin to filter light and eliminate reactive oxygen species to reduce photoinhibition.In the second,excessive light energy was consumed in the form of heat energy by increasing the non-photochemical quenching coefficient.These processes tuned the leaves red.展开更多
Background and Objectives:Observational research findings have demonstrated correlations between diet and the process of aging.Nevertheless,there remains uncertainty regarding possible disruption caused by confounding...Background and Objectives:Observational research findings have demonstrated correlations between diet and the process of aging.Nevertheless,there remains uncertainty regarding possible disruption caused by confounding variables.To elucidate the connections between diet and aging,we employed the Mendelian randomization analysis.Methods and Study Design:The exposure factor was the daily diet,whereas accelerated aging was measured through telomere length,facial aging(FA),frailty index(FI),and senescence-associated secretory phenotypes(SASPs),representing the outcome factors.The primary analysis employed IVW analysis,with additional MR-Egger and Weighted Median analyses conducted to assess the reliability of the findings.Furthermore,we analyzed the heterogeneity and pleiotropy of the results.Results:The results revealed that the consumption of salad/raw vegetables and oily fish exhibited a negative correlation with FA,whereas coffee intake showed a positive correlation with FA.On the other hand,the intake of cheese,oily fish,dried fruit,and cereal showed negative associations with FI.Additionally,coffee,alcohol,and pork intake were positively associated with FI.Lastly,the intake of bread exhibited a positively correlated with SASPs,while the intake of cheese and coffee showed a negative correlation with SASPs.Conclusions:Our study revealed that the consumption of cheese,vegetables,oily fish,dried fruit,bread,coffee,and alcohol was associated with the aging process.Interestingly,our findings suggest that coffee intake may accelerate aging,whereas intake of oily fish may delay the aging process.However,it is important to note that further well-designed prospective studies are required to validate our findings in the future.展开更多
Senescence of activated hepatic stellate cells(aHSCs) is a stable growth arrest that is implicated in liver fibrosis regression.Senescent cells often accompanied by a multi-faceted senescence-associated secretory phen...Senescence of activated hepatic stellate cells(aHSCs) is a stable growth arrest that is implicated in liver fibrosis regression.Senescent cells often accompanied by a multi-faceted senescence-associated secretory phenotype(SASP).But little is known about how alanine-serine-cysteine transporter type-2(ASCT2),a high affinity glutamine transporter,affects HSC senescence and SASP during liver fibrosis.Here,we identified ASCT2 is mainly elevated in aHSCs and positively correlated with liver fibrosis in human and mouse fibrotic livers.We first discovered ASCT2 inhibition induced HSCs to senescence in vitro and in vivo.The proinflammatory SASP were restricted by ASCT2 inhibition at senescence initiation to prevent paracrine migration.Mechanically,ASCT2 was a direct target of glutaminolysisdependent proinflammatory SASP,interfering IL-1α/NF-κB feedback loop via interacting with precursor IL-1α at Lys82.From a translational perspective,atractylenolide Ⅲ is identified as ASCT2 inhibitor through directly bound to Asn230 of ASCT2.The presence of -OH group in atractylenolide Ⅲ is suggested to be favorable for the inhibition of ASCT2.Importantly,atractylenolide Ⅲ could be utilized to treat liver fibrosis mice.Taken together,ASCT2 controlled HSC senescence while modifying the proinflammatory SASP.Targeting ASCT2 by atractylenolide Ⅲ could be a therapeutic candidate for liver fibrosis.展开更多
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.52222502,92048302,and 51975306)Research Project of State Key Laboratory of Mechanical System and Vibration of China(Grant No.MSV201904)Emergency Research Project for COVID-19 from Institute for Precision Medicine of Tsinghua University of China.
文摘The most widely adopted method for diagnosing respiratory infectious diseases is to conduct polymerase chain reaction(PCR)assays on patients’respiratory specimens,which are collected through either nasal or oropharyngeal swabs.The manual swab sampling process poses a high risk to the examiner and may cause false-negative results owing to improper sampling.In this paper,we propose a pneumatically actuated soft end-effector specifically designed to achieve all of the tasks involved in swab sampling.The soft end-effector utilizes circumferential instability to ensure grasping stability,and exhibits several key properties,including high load-to-weight ratio,error tolerance,and variable swab-tip stiffness,leading to successful automatic robotic oropharyngeal swab sampling,from loosening and tightening the transport medium tube cap,holding the swab,and conducting sampling,to snapping off the swab tail and sterilizing itself.Using an industrial collaborative robotic arm,we integrated the soft end-effector,force sensor,camera,lights,and remote-control stick,and developed a robotic oropharyngeal swab sampling system.Using this swab sampling system,we conducted oropharyngeal swab-sampling tests on 20 volunteers.Our Digital PCR assay results(RNase P RNA gene absolute copy numbers for the samples)revealed that our system successfully collected sufficient numbers of cells from the pharyngeal wall for respiratory disease diagnosis.In summary,we have developed a pharyngeal swab-sampling system based on an“enveloping”soft actuator,studied the sampling process,and imple-mented whole-process robotic oropharyngeal swab-sampling.
基金This work was supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region Forestry Research Institute(No.Linke 201809)Guangxi Forestry Science and Technology Promotion Demonstration Project(No.26 Guilin Research 2021).
文摘Liquidambar formosana Hance is an attractive landscape tree species because its leaves gradually change from green to red,purple or orange in autumn.In this study,the red variety of L.formosana was used to establish a quantitative model of leaf color.Physiological changes in leaf color,pigment levels,enzyme activity,photosynthetic fluorescence characteristics and chloroplast ultrastructure were monitored.The relationship between leaf color and physiological structure indices was quantitatively analyzed to systematically explore the mechanisms behind leaf color.Our data showed that with a decrease in external temperatures,chloroplast numbers and sizes gradually decreased,thylakoid membranes became distorted,and chlorophyll synthesis was blocked and gradually decreased.As a result,chloroplast membranes could not be biosynthesized normally;net photosynthesis,maximum and actual photochemical efficiency,and rate of electron transfer decreased rapidly.Excess light energy caused leaf photoinhibition.With intensification of photoinhibition,leaves protected themselves using two mechanisms.In the first,anthocyanin synthesis was promoted by increasing chalcone isomerase and flavonoid glycosyltransferase activities and soluble sugar content so as to increase anthocyanin to filter light and eliminate reactive oxygen species to reduce photoinhibition.In the second,excessive light energy was consumed in the form of heat energy by increasing the non-photochemical quenching coefficient.These processes tuned the leaves red.
基金supported by Nanjing Health Commission(YKK21118).
文摘Background and Objectives:Observational research findings have demonstrated correlations between diet and the process of aging.Nevertheless,there remains uncertainty regarding possible disruption caused by confounding variables.To elucidate the connections between diet and aging,we employed the Mendelian randomization analysis.Methods and Study Design:The exposure factor was the daily diet,whereas accelerated aging was measured through telomere length,facial aging(FA),frailty index(FI),and senescence-associated secretory phenotypes(SASPs),representing the outcome factors.The primary analysis employed IVW analysis,with additional MR-Egger and Weighted Median analyses conducted to assess the reliability of the findings.Furthermore,we analyzed the heterogeneity and pleiotropy of the results.Results:The results revealed that the consumption of salad/raw vegetables and oily fish exhibited a negative correlation with FA,whereas coffee intake showed a positive correlation with FA.On the other hand,the intake of cheese,oily fish,dried fruit,and cereal showed negative associations with FI.Additionally,coffee,alcohol,and pork intake were positively associated with FI.Lastly,the intake of bread exhibited a positively correlated with SASPs,while the intake of cheese and coffee showed a negative correlation with SASPs.Conclusions:Our study revealed that the consumption of cheese,vegetables,oily fish,dried fruit,bread,coffee,and alcohol was associated with the aging process.Interestingly,our findings suggest that coffee intake may accelerate aging,whereas intake of oily fish may delay the aging process.However,it is important to note that further well-designed prospective studies are required to validate our findings in the future.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81870423, 82173874 and 82073914)the Major Project of the Natural Science Research of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions (19KJA310005, China)+3 种基金the Open Project of Chinese Materia Medica First-Class Discipline of Nanjing University of Chinese Medicine (2020YLXK022 and 2020YLXK023, China)the Open Project of Jiangsu Key Laboratory for Pharmacology and Safety Evaluation of Chinese Materia Medica (JKLPSE202005, China)the Qing Lan Project of Jiangsu Higher Institutions (Young and Middle-Aged Academic Leader, China)the Postgraduate Research & Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province (KYCX20_1493, China)
文摘Senescence of activated hepatic stellate cells(aHSCs) is a stable growth arrest that is implicated in liver fibrosis regression.Senescent cells often accompanied by a multi-faceted senescence-associated secretory phenotype(SASP).But little is known about how alanine-serine-cysteine transporter type-2(ASCT2),a high affinity glutamine transporter,affects HSC senescence and SASP during liver fibrosis.Here,we identified ASCT2 is mainly elevated in aHSCs and positively correlated with liver fibrosis in human and mouse fibrotic livers.We first discovered ASCT2 inhibition induced HSCs to senescence in vitro and in vivo.The proinflammatory SASP were restricted by ASCT2 inhibition at senescence initiation to prevent paracrine migration.Mechanically,ASCT2 was a direct target of glutaminolysisdependent proinflammatory SASP,interfering IL-1α/NF-κB feedback loop via interacting with precursor IL-1α at Lys82.From a translational perspective,atractylenolide Ⅲ is identified as ASCT2 inhibitor through directly bound to Asn230 of ASCT2.The presence of -OH group in atractylenolide Ⅲ is suggested to be favorable for the inhibition of ASCT2.Importantly,atractylenolide Ⅲ could be utilized to treat liver fibrosis mice.Taken together,ASCT2 controlled HSC senescence while modifying the proinflammatory SASP.Targeting ASCT2 by atractylenolide Ⅲ could be a therapeutic candidate for liver fibrosis.
